Everything I Wanted

She Knows My Name? - 7

The next morning, the sunlight streamed through the windows of Gracie's apartment, casting a soft glow over the room. Story and Gracie both stretched lazily, still buzzing from the excitement of the past few days. There was an infectious energy between them, the kind that comes from feeling like everything is falling into place, and it lingered in the air as they started their day.

Story got up and stretched, giving Gracie a playful grin as she headed to the bathroom to shower. Meanwhile, Gracie shuffled downstairs to start breakfast, the smell of fresh coffee filling the air. Story could hear the clatter of pans and the sizzle of eggs as she stood under the warm water in the shower, her mind buzzing with thoughts of the interview and everything that had happened so far. Life felt a little surreal at the moment, but she wasn't complaining. She was where she wanted to be, and everything was falling into place.

Once Story was out of the shower and dressed, she joined Gracie downstairs. Gracie was making avocado toast, a healthy breakfast staple, and had a pot of coffee brewing on the counter. As the two of them sat down to eat, Gracie wiped her hands on a dish towel and started to explain the plan for the day.

"I've got to head out this afternoon," Gracie said, taking a bite of her toast. "I'm recording a track with Taylor Swift."

Story's eyes widened. "Wait, what? Taylor Swift? No way! How did that even happen?"

Gracie grinned, clearly enjoying the surprise. "It's been in the works for a while. She reached out about collaborating, and we're finally making it happen today."

Story couldn't contain her excitement. "That's huge, Gracie! You're going to be in the studio with Taylor Swift. That's a dream come true!"

Gracie chuckled at her enthusiasm. "I know, I'm freaking out a little bit too. It's crazy."

Story leaned in, eager for any details. "So, tell me everything! What's the song like? Is it going to be something on your next album? Will it be a duet?"

Gracie just laughed and held up her hands, feigning innocence. "I wish I could spill the details, but she's very secretive about her music. I'm not allowed to say anything until it's officially released. You'll just have to wait and see."

Story pouted playfully, but she couldn't stop smiling. "Tease," she teased, poking Gracie's shoulder. "But seriously, I'm so proud of you."

Gracie's eyes softened, and she reached across the table to squeeze Story's hand. "Thanks. You've been so supportive. It really means a lot."

The conversation shifted to other things as they finished breakfast, and once they were done, Gracie headed off to the studio while Story stayed behind to relax for a bit. She went up to her room, curled up in bed, and grabbed her phone to catch up on messages and notifications.

Her heart skipped a beat as she saw a flurry of TikTok notifications, all tagged with her name. She opened the app, her thumb hovering nervously as she scrolled through the notifications. The tags were all from a Vanity Fair interview—a new one that had been posted a day after hers. It was Billie Eilish's interview.

Story's breath caught in her throat. She clicked on the video, her fingers shaking slightly as the video loaded on her screen. She watched with rapt attention, heart racing as Billie answered the interviewer's questions. Everything about Billie was captivating—her unique style, her genuine nature, her unapologetic self-expression. Story admired her from afar, but this felt different. This time, something about this particular video felt... personal.

And then, Story's eyes widened when the interviewer asked Billie if she had seen Story's interview.

Billie's face lit up with a smile as she replied, "Yeah, I've seen it. I think Story is amazing. So authentic. I just love the way she talks about her music and how real she is with her fans. I really respect that. And honestly, I'd love to record a song with her one day. I think we could create something special."